Grate.



R. A. MAY. GRATE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20.1905.

PATENTED MAR. 20,1'90 6,j

mums-51mm- 1. v

110415450. I PATENTEDMAR.2 0,1 906.

R. A. MAY.

GRATEL APPLICATION FILED JULY'ZO, 1905.

ZSKEETS-SHEET 2.

. Un rnnsT ATES PATENT onnion.

/ -RUDOLF A. MAY, OF AKRON, 01-110. I

' I I RATE.

i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDoLF A. MAY, a citizen of the United in the county of Summit and State of Ohio," have invented new and useful Improvements States, residing at Akron,

' in Grates, of which thefollowing is a specification: p. I My invention has relation to the construetion of "combustion devices for stoves and "furnaces; and the object of my invention is preferably made in two partsviz., an outer portion annularly shaped and arranged to be,

- operated in substantially the same horizontal plane to sustain the mass of burning fuel and a central portion which'maybe easily lowered and tilted forward to permit readyf cleaning and to afiord access to the'lower, portion of the fuel sustained by the first part.

The invention further aims to so construct these two parts constituting'the grate that- 'when the central'portion is lowered from engagementwith the outer portion the latter I will be suitably sustained and when the central portion is raised the two'members will engage in such a manner that "the inclosing' portion will be sustained on'thecentral por tion and the two be solocked together as to permit their free horizontal rotation in 'uni' son.

With the foregoing and otherobjects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination, andarrangement of parts constituting the device to be hereinafter referred to, and illustrated in the accom-', panying drawings, which form a part of this specification, in which is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention; but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto ap pended.

acters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a combustion device, showing a portion of the fire-pot and ash-pit op- .erated inconnection therewith. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of a portion of the grate of the device. Fig. 3 is a plan view of my deviceby which oxygen is supplied to the sides of Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed.J'u1y 20 1905. Serial No. 270,543. I

fuel therein.

' Patented March 20, 1906.

the burning fuel,'and Fig. 4 is a s'ectionon line X of Fig. 1. i

In the drawings, 1 is the ash-pit of my device, having, as usual, an integral inlet 2 and is provided at the top with a circular openling, around which is an inwardly-extending annular flange 3, integral with the body of the ash-pit, and this flange 3 is further provided with a concentric beading 4.

Mounted upon the flange 3 of the ash-pit and within the confines the fire-pot 5.

Attached, preferably by bolts '6, to the flange 3 of the ash-pit is a ring 7, preferably of the beading 4: is

L-shaped-in cross-section, which when in position as shown in Fig. 2 will constitute, in

connection with the side Wall and flange3 of the ash-pit, an annular air-duct. The v'erti cal portions of this L-shaped ring 7 contain at intervals openings or slots 8, by which air is permitted to enter the interior of the coinbustiomchamber. annular air-duct' crosses the inlet '2' there is provided a. rear vertically-extending partition 9, conforming in contour and integral.

with the main body of the ring 7 whichserves to close the rear of the annular duct from open communication with thefin'teri'or ofth'e inlet 2. V I

At some preferred-place in the side wall of the ashit 1 is laced an inlet-pipe 10, thefin terior o whicl i with the interior of'the ductformed by,' the ring 7, and thisinlet-pipe 10 is closed by an ordinary door. 11, the construction of which is immaterial to this invention. and which" may be of any desired or preferred type. It, will. be obvious from this description that air -admitted through the pipe 10 will is in open communication At the point where this v circulate freely in the duct formed by the side wall, the annular flange 3 of the ash-pit, and

the L-shaped'ring 7 andfrom thence will pass, by means ofthe openings 8, into the combustionchamber and from thence to the Ioo In order to sustain the fuel to be consumed in immediate proximity to the supply of oiiy- In the drawings, wherein like reference char-Q gen fromthe openings 8, inwardly-projecting arms 12 are employed, the ends of which we tend .into the opening of the ring 7, and these arms 12 are preferably integral with the ring ket 13, consisting, preferably, of a frusto-conically-formed annulus, the upper portions of which are provided with a series of radial slots 14, thereby forming between them a plurality of teeth or fingers 15. This basket 13 is provided on its lower outer side with a rabbet 16, into which the arms 12 are arranged to engage and temporarily sustain the basket and the fuel which may be contained thereon. From the lower portion of this basket 13 extends a series of lugs or fingers 17, preferably arranged in pairs, as shown in Fig. 2, for a purpose to be stated. It is arranged to close the opening surrounded by the annularly-formed basket 13 with a grate 18. This grate (shown best in Fig. 4) consists of a body portion, preferably provided with a series of perforations or slots 19 and having'on its outer edge a series of lugs or fingers 20 and,further,provided on its und er central portion with a depending pin 21. This grate 18 is sustained by a tripodal structure consisting of rearwardly-extending legs 22 and 23 and a forwardly-extending leg 24, all preferably formed integral with each other and uniting at the center into a socket mem ber 25 throughwhich is a vertical perforation in which the pin 21 of the grate is arranged to enter. The leg 22 is provided on its outer end with a pin which enters an opening in a lug 26, formed in the inner face of the side wall of the ash-pit 1, and the leg 23 is also provided with a pin at its outer end, which enters a semicircularly-formed lug 27, also attached to the inner face of the ash-pit and oppositely disposed with respect to the position of the lug 26, and the legs 22 and 23 are thereby sustained pivotally in position.

Projecting laterally from the outer free end of the arm 24 is a pin 28, which engages in a slot 29 in the outer end of a rocking member 30. This rocking member 30 is pivoted on a pin 31, attached to one of the side walls of the inlet- 2 of the ash-pit, and it is further provided at its opposite end with a socket portion 32, in which is inserted a bar by which it may be conveniently actuated. A pin or catch 33 is attached to the side wall of the ash-pit to retain the socket end 32 of the member 30 at the bottom of its downward movement, and thereby maintain the slotted end of the member 30 in an upright position, which also sustains the leg 24 of the tripodal structure, on which the grate 18 is mounted. The grate 18 is capable of being rotated on the pin 21, which has been before described as being j ournaled in the perforation in the socket portion 25.

In order to cause the rotation of the grate 18, a rod 34 is suitably connected with one side of the grate, and is it provided at its outer end with a handle for convenience in operation. This rod 34 is generally carried out through the inlet 2 of the ash-pit and may be suitably supported at its outer end but as this is an ordinary construction the support for the rod 34 is not shown, as it is believed to be unnecessary for the complete understanding of this invention.

The operation of this device is as follows: The members being in the position shown in Fig. 1, a suitable supply of fuel is placed upon the grate 18 and basket 13, and the same is ignited in the ordinary way. In order to aid the combustion of the fuel thus sustained, the gate 11 is opened and air is permitted to circulate through the duct formed by the ring 7, and it passes therefrom through the openings 8 to the outer portions of the mass of burning fuel. When it is desired to remove ashes or clinkers from the fuel, a bar is inserted in the socket portion 32 of the member 30 and the catch 33 released, allowing the slotted end of the member 30 to swing downward, carrying with it the tripodal structure which supports the grate 18 until the slotted end of the member 30 encounters the floor of the ash-pit. When this has been done, the grate and its supporting mechanism will assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Access may then be had to the bottom of the fuel through the opening inclosed by the annularly-formed basket 13. It will be here stated that by reason of the coking and matting together of the fuel while being consumed it will be readily sustained by the basket 13 and unless roughly attacked from below will not fall through the opening therein. At the time the grate 18 is lowered its forward end is tipped down sufficiently to enable a person with the aid of a suitable tool to remove therefrom all ashes and clinkers which might exist thereon. When this has been properly done, the socket end 32 of the member 30 is depressed by means of the bar inserted therein and the grate raised to the position shown in Fig. 1. This grate 18 and basket 13 are so arranged with respect to each other that when the grate 18 is raised the fingers 20 on the outer periphery of the grate 18 will interlock with the lugs 17 on the bottom face of the annularly-formed basket 13, and the grate 18 will raise the basket 13 a slight distance from engagement with the inwardly-extending arms 12, on which it is temporarily sustained while the grate 18 is being lowered, as before described. This raising of the basket 13 from engagement with the arms 12 practically causes the basket 13 and grate 18 to become a unitary article, and the interlocking of the fingers 20 on the outer edge of the grate 18 with the depending lugs 17 on the basket 13 will cause the two to rotate in unison when the rod 34 is employed.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that at the same time the grate 18 is lowered, as as been already described, the basket 13 will be lowered sufiiciently to rest on and be sustained by the arms 12 until the return of the grate to its former position, and

yet when raised by the grate 18 the basket 13 device to temporarily sustain said member, a 7 central portion for said grate suitably sustained to permit its being raised and lowered,

means to raise and lower said central ortion, sald annular member being adapte to be sustained 1n operatlve position by sa1d central portion when said central portion is raised.

2. In astove or furnace, a rotary grate comprising in combination an annular member, lugs depending from the under face thereof, means connected with the ash-pit of the device to temporarily sustain said member, a central portion for said grate, memsaid central bers on said central portion adapted to engage said lugs, means to sustain said central ortion so as to permit its being raised and owered, said annular member being adapted to be sustained in its operative position by said central portion, when said central portion is raised. v

3. In a stove or furnace, a rotary grate comprising in combination'an annular member, depending members on the under face of said member,'means connected with the ashpit of the device to temporarily sustain said member, a central portion for said grate, members on said central portion adapted to engage the depending members of said annularv portion, means to sustain said central ortion so as to permit its being raised and owered, said annular member being adapted to be supported in its operative position by tion is raised. I

4. In a stove or furnace, a rotary grate comprising in combination an annular member, depending members on the under face of said member, means connected with the ashpit of the device to temporarily sustain said member, a central portion for said grate, members on said central portion adapted to engage said depending members, means to sustain said central portion to permit its beportion when said central pori-.

ing raised and lowered, said annular member beingv adapted to be supported in its operative position by said central portion when said central portion is raised, and means to rotate the two parts of said grate in unison when said annular member is sustained on said central portion.

, 5.- In a stove or furnace, a rotary grate comprising in combination an annular member, depending members on said member, a central portion for said grate, members on said central portion adapted-to engage said depending members, means to raise and lower said central ortion, said annular member being adapted to be supported in its operative position by said central portion when said central portion is raised, and means connected with the ash-pit of the device to temporarily sustain said annular member when said central portion is lowered.

6. In a grate, the combination of a central portion capable of horizontal rotation, means to rotate said central portion, means to suitably sustain said central portion to permit it to be raised or lowered, an annular member,

means to temporarily sustain said annular member, said annular member being adapted to be supported in its operative position on said central portion when said central portion is raised. 7

7. In a rotary grate, the combination of a central portion capable of horizontal rotation, means to sustain said central portion to permit its being raised or lowered, an annular member arranged to be supported by said central portion when said central ortion is raised, means on said central portion, and means on said annular member adapted to interlock when said central portion is raised and said annular member is supported on said central member, and means to sustain said annular member when said central portion is lowered from engagement therewith.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnessesa Y RUDOLF A. MAY. Witnesses:

C. E. HUMPHREY, GLENARA Fox. 

